


i'll take you one day at a time (soon you will be mine)

by bovines (orphan_account)



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: First Kiss, Grinding, Hand Jobs, I'm so sorry, M/M, Strangers, teeth-rotting fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-12
Updated: 2014-03-12
Packaged: 2018-01-15 10:58:26
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,254
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1302379
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/bovines
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry and Louis are strangers, but meet for a social experiment. That's all it takes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	i'll take you one day at a time (soon you will be mine)

**Author's Note:**

> all my inspiration came from [these](http://popunklouis.tumblr.com/post/79269471689/tatteduptommo-ninelivespussy-first-kiss-we) tags and [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpbDHxCV29A) video. 
> 
> the title is from 'Fallingforyou' by the 1975
> 
> (so far it sounds like none of this is original. i promise it will be!!)

Harry toes at a piece of dirt on his left boot with his right. He needs to throw them out, he knows that. He probably won't.

 

"We've found somebody for you," Ben, the man Harry hadn't known until ten minutes ago, crows as he enters the room. According to Ben, he and his crew were conducting a social experiment in which strangers would kiss for the first time. Which, okay, is not something his mum would be proud of. On the contrary, he doubts his mum has experienced the dissatisfaction of not getting laid in over four months.

 

Actually, he'd rather not know.

 

He realizes Ben is still talking, but Harry's still stuck in the 'stop-thinking-about-your-mum-having-sex' state, so he's missed half of what he's said.

 

"Anyways, here he is." Ben says, turning to beckon someone from the hallway of the studio. A man walks in tentatively, peering around the studio before his eyes land on Harry.

 

Harry feels as though the wind’s been knocked out of him. Harry feels as though he’s been stripped of his clothes. There a million different metaphors and similes and hyperboles and other English lessons that could describe all that moment, but all of Harry’s thoughts are expletives.

 

The man is beautiful. He’s got hair that looks like it hasn’t been cut in months, but it _works_ for him. His jaw is dusted with stubble, and Harry wonders what it would feel like scratching against his neck. He’s shorter than him, not by much, but significantly enough that he’d probably fit very nicely at the crook of Harry’s shoulder. And he’s got _blue eyes_. Harry used to think blue eyes were overrated, but they’re not. Not on him, at least.

 

They stand across from each other for what feels like an uncomfortable amount of time, but it was probably only a few seconds before the man approaches, extending his hand to Harry. “Hey, I’m Louis.”

 

 _Louis_ , Harry thinks. He’s got a pretty name. And his hand is warm. Not in a gross, sweaty way, in a comforting way. Looking down on himself, Harry realizes that with his ripped jeans, dirty boots and scarf in his hair, he probably looks homeless. He wants to tell Louis that he isn’t homeless. “I’m Harry.” He says instead.

 

“Nice to meet you,” Louis nods, giving Harry’s hand a brief shake before turning to Ben. “So, do you want us to just go at it?” Harry remembers with delight that he’s supposed to kiss Louis for the experiment. He bites his lip to stop himself from grinning manically.

 

“Yeah, do whatever feels right. The camera’s rolling, so whenever you’re ready.” Ben nods towards the girl behind the camera and seats himself in a proper director’s chair. The whole thing’s very professional, Harry concludes. He wonders what this will be used for.

 

“Hey, you alright?” Louis asks. Harry blinks, realizing that he’d been staring into space.

 

“Yeah, sorry, I zone out a lot. Um.” Harry’s speech is so stilted he’s practically stuttering. He hopes it comes off as endearing.

 

“Yeah. So,” Louis begins, and then stops himself. He’s got his hands fisted in his pockets and Harry notices a blush creeping on his cheeks. He feels relieved to know that he’s not the only one who’s nervous.

 

“Okay, so,” Harry steps towards Louis carefully, as if he’s approaching a wild animal. In a way, he is. Harry brings his hands to rest on Louis’ hips, his touch so gentle he barely notices himself doing so. He leans down (still reveling in the height difference), pausing before his lips reach Louis. “Okay?”

 

Louis hums in response, giving a short nod of his head. Harry nods as well. Louis nods again. They both laugh, and then Harry’s kissing him.

 

If there were a million metaphors and similes and hyperboles for the moment he first saw Louis, there is a billion for when he’s kissing him. Kissing Louis is like diving in the deep end of a pool. Kissing Louis is like opening your window to hear the thunder during a storm. Kissing Louis is a broken dam and a sealed envelope. Kissing Louis is like kissing a stranger, but it’s a good thing. It’s _such_ a good thing. Harry knows that he’s making the whole thing wax poetic, but he can’t help it because it _is_.

 

Louis’ hands had moved from his pockets to cup Harry’s cheeks, his thumb stroking gently at the track where Harry’s tears would run. He pulls Louis closer so their chests are touching, both of them breathing in rhythm. Harry slips his tongue into Louis’ mouth, just to see if he’ll be stopped, but he isn’t. Louis tastes like toothpaste. It’s not romantic, but Harry will figure out how to make it that way.

 

And suddenly, Louis stops.

 

He pulls away and the moment is shattered, and the silence is suddenly deafening. Harry needs to _stop_.

 

“Thanks guys,” Ben says, as if he hadn’t witnessed the most amazing thing to happen to Harry’s life _ever_. “You could give me your emails and I’ll send you the video once I release it.”

 

Harry moves through the next minutes slowly, as if he’s just woken up. He gives Ben his email, grabs his messenger bag that’s not full of lecture notes and leaves the studio. Real life welcomes him back, but Harry is disappointed.

 

“Um, hey,” Harry whips around to see Louis, standing with his hands in his pockets again. “Sorry about that, I know it must’ve been awkward.”

 

“No,” Harry insists quickly. “It was fine. Good. Great, actually.” _Die_ , he thinks to himself.

 

“Yeah,” Louis chuckles, rocking back on his heels. “So, I was wondering if you wanted to maybe get a coffee? Like, right now? If you want?”

 

 _Yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes love me yes yes yes_ Harry’s brain chants. “Sure, sounds good.” Harry says with only a mild squeak to his voice.

 

A smile spreads across Louis’ face. “Great.” He says.

 

Louis takes him to Starbucks, chatting amiably the whole way. Harry is comforted to know that Louis is not shy, but rather very outgoing and funny. Harry’s had to clap his hand over his mouth at least three times to stop laughing during the walk.

 

“Ordering here gives me anxiety.” Harry states once inside, staring at the intimidating menu.

 

“I know right?” Louis jumps in. “Like, I feel as though everyone around me expects me to rehearse a speech so I can order my fucking coffee, like, what the hell is _venti_? Is this franchise even Italian?” Harry laughs loudly for what feels like the umpteenth time.

 

They manage to order their drinks with minimal trauma, finding a place to sit near the toilets.

 

“I feel like you’re planning an easy escape.” Harry jokes, gesturing towards the washrooms.

 

“I wouldn’t dream of it.” Louis grins. Harry’s heart literally _flutters_ , there’s no way around that description.

 

They talk for a long time, even after both their drinks are finished. They talk even after the majority of the customers have left. They talk even after the barista reminds them that they close in five minutes. Eventually they’re forced to leave, and Harry and Louis are wandering the city streets with the moon cresting the buildings.

 

“Don’t you hate the time between winter and spring?” Harry says in between shivers.

 

“Can’t stand it,” Louis replies, crowding closer to Harry for warmth. Harry doesn’t mind _at all_.

 

“Like, the snow’s melting, so all this dirt is showing up, but not all of the snow has melted yet so it just makes dirty snow. And it’s still freezing.” Harry rambles.

 

“Everything looks gross,” Louis pauses. “Hey, I know somewhere we can go. Come on.” He grabs Harry’s hand and begins a half-skip, half-jog down the street, dodging the odd passerby and drunkard.

 

The walk doesn’t take long, and soon Louis is stopping abruptly in front of a simple flat.

 

“It’s my mate’s flat,” Louis explains as he leads Harry down the alley between this flat and the next. They come to a gate, which Louis unlocks by pulling a string that hangs from the other side. The noise of the city disappears as they creep into the small backyard, and the sudden quietness becomes almost eerie. The backyard is mostly empty, apart from a small shed made entirely of glass. When Harry peers through the darkness, he sees what looks like potted plants inside. It appears to be a miniature greenhouse.

 

“It’s like a mini greenhouse,” Louis says, pulling Harry along. “My mate’s fiancé is really into gardening, and he bought this for her as an early wedding gift.”

 

“That’s sweet.”

 

“Love is weird. But yeah, it’s sweet,”

 

The door to the greenhouse is open, and Louis slips inside, letting go of Harry’s hands to beckon him. Harry longs for it back, embarrassingly enough.

 

The greenhouse is crowded with small flowers, herbs, and Bonsai trees. The whole thing reminds him of a dollhouse.

 

“Wait, do you have any allergies?” Louis asks, his eyebrows furrowing.

 

“Nope.” Harry says as he sniffs a posy. Maybe a peony, he’s not sure.

 

“Good. The smell does make you dizzy after a while, though.” Louis shrugs. The distance between them feels strange. Harry steps closer.

 

“Um,” Harry begins.

 

“So,” Louis says.

 

“Do you want to kiss again?” Harry blurts. The question bounces wildly, matching the pattern of Harry’s heartbeat.

 

Harry feels like he’s about to drop, but then Louis smiles. “I’d love to.”

 

Their second kiss as acquaintances is even better than their first kiss as strangers. Perhaps it’s because they’re doing it because they’d like to, and not because a man on the street asked if they’d like to be a part of a social experiment. Louis’ hands are back on Harry’s cheeks and Harry’s hands are back on Louis’ hips and everything feels _right_. Their hot breaths make the greenhouse even warmer, and Harry finds himself sweating. So is Louis, however, so he doesn’t think it matters.

 

They kiss like they could forever, and then.

 

Harry’s hard. _Shit. Shit._ His rest of his thoughts are similar. Harry knows he needs to stop. The moment will quickly be shattered once again if he doesn’t—

 

And then Louis is pressing against him and he’s hard too.

 

Which, okay. Harry can work with that. Harry rocks against Louis, relishing the gasp he makes when their cocks press against each other’s between the fabric of their jeans and boxers. Soon they’re grinding messily, filthily, and Harry is _hot_ and _sweaty_ but none of this matters because it’s _Louis_ who’s a perfect stranger and everything Harry needs.

 

He doesn’t realize Louis had unbuttoned his jeans and pulled down his boxers until his cock hits the air of the greenhouse. He moans lowly, as Louis wastes no time getting a hand around him. His strokes are quick and spectacular, and Harry’s panting against Louis’ neck and rocking his hips. Louis thumbs over the slit and gathers the precome at the head, using it to pump quicker and quicker and quicker and then Harry’s coming, shooting into Louis’ hands and onto the potted flowers at their feet.

 

He stands for a moment, practically draped over Louis, before getting to work. He gets Louis off quickly and dirtily while still appreciating the delicious noises Louis makes. Harry thinks he’d never have to watch porn again if all he had was a recording of the noises Louis makes when he’s getting off.

 

They’re panting heavily after Louis’ finished, both of them with sweat lingering at the nape of their neck and in the hollows of their collarbones. Harry opens his mouth to speak, wanting to say something to give justice to the feeling he’s experiencing right now.

 

“I just came on your mate’s fiancé’s peonies.” He says instead.

 

A pause. “I think they’re posies.”

 

They laugh for what feels like hours, eventually stumbling out of the greenhouse for fresh air. They don’t make it very far, practically drunk on each other, and end up collapsing on the sodden grass and patches of snow in the backyard. They complain about the water seeping into their pants, but neither of them makes any move to get up.

 

“Don’t you hate that you can’t see the stars in the city?” Louis murmurs, his eyes blinking sleepily.

 

“It’s cloudy tonight.”

 

“Still.” Louis giggles ( _giggles_ ) rolling over on his side to look at Harry. Harry feels like he’s about to start a race. His heart is pounding in anticipation. His hands twitch.

 

“Do you think,” Harry whispers. There’s no chance of anyone hearing them, but he feels the time requires a whisper. “Do you think that, like, today was meant to happen? That _we_ were meant to happen? That we were meant to meet each other?”

 

“I don’t know,” Louis says. His speech is hushed as well. “Wouldn’t that involve believing in soulmates?”

 

“You don’t believe in soulmates?”

 

Louis opens his mouth, and then closes it. He opens it again. “I didn’t.”

 

That’s all Harry needs to hear. “Today is a new beginning.” Harry concludes, and he doesn’t care if it’s wax poetry and cheese and stupidity. He doesn’t care that there’s snow slipping down his back and the arm he’s resting on his falling asleep. He doesn’t care that it’s not _conventional_ or _normal_ or other adjectives that don’t match how wonderful he and Louis are right now.

 

Harry’s on the precipice, but he doesn’t think he’ll mind when he falls.

 

**Author's Note:**

> sorry about that!! feel free to comment/kudos if you want!


End file.
